Stuck in London
by random smilie
Summary: Me, Potter, a whole lot of hate on my part and sexual tension on his, and absolutely no way of getting to Hogwarts.Lily and James have missed the Hogwarts Express, and are stuck in London because the barrier has been blocked for safety. Chaos, anyone?
1. Chapter 1

I blew my red hair out of my face as I lugged my trunk out of the boot of our blue Ford. I checked my watch quickly. Damn! I was going to be late! Ten minutes left till the Hogwarts Express leaved. Crap with a cherry on top.

"Now dear, do you have everything?" my mother asked, brushing me down, getting rid of the imaginary dust, and shining the badge on my chest.

"Yes Mum," I cried frantically, "Now will you let me go! I'm late!"

"Calm down, Lily. You'll be fine. Now, stay safe, and don't forget to write. You'll be coming home for Christmas-"

"I _know _Mum. I really gotta go. Miss you, bye" I kissed Mother quickly on the cheek, smiled and started to drag my trunk towards a trolley, which I dumped it on, all the while muttering frantically under my breath.

"C'mon Lily, go, go, go! Last year, Head Girl, you gotta make it on that goddamn train!"

This had never happened before. You know, the whole 'Lily Evans rushing and shoving through crowds because she may just be late and miss the train and therefore miss the whole seventh year of her magical education'. However, this year, Petunia (AKA bony bimbo with absolutely no idea), decided to switch my parents godforsaken alarms off! So, we woke up at ten friggin' o'clock, with one hour to till the train left.

Female dog.

I almost cried with relief when I saw the barrier to Platform 9 ¾ . I narrowed my eyes at the old lady walking in front of me. Slowly. I scanned my surroundings. A baby in a stroller to my right. An old man with a toothy grin leering at me at my left. And the old lady walking in front of me, blocking my easiest path. There was nothing to it. I swerved to the left, my owl screeching as it was almost thrown off. The old man dodged my trolley, smile thrown off his face. The old lady let out a feeble yelp of surprise as I narrowly missed hitting her backside. 

But I was through. My path was clear. The world was beautiful again. The birds were signing, the sun was shining and all was right in the world.

"All right Evans?"

Until now.

I spun on my heel. The sun disappeared, and the birds ceased to sing. I'd know that self satisfied voice anywhere. And lo and behold, it was…

Potter's chest? What the hell? I slowly followed the body to the face. Since when was this idiot so tall?

But what really shocked me wasn't the sudden height bestowed upon the black haired fiend; it was the badge sitting jauntily on his jumper.

The Head Boy badge.

"It's happened." I whispered.

Potter smirked.

"What, you've finally fallen for my good looks and charms, and want to runaway and live in Australia? I'm sorry Evans, as much as I'd like to, I have got an education to complete."

I ignore him. God, no. My brain crunched the facts.

Head Boy: Potter.

Head Girl: Me.

Dormitory: Shared.

"Dumbledore's cracked, hasn't he? He's potty! Giving you Head Boy, what was he thinking? Actually he wasn't thinking! You're…the epitome of all rule breaking. You…Head Boy! And I, I'm Head Girl… shit, shit, shit." I was ranting, trolley and my path forgotten.

"Look, Evans-"

"Don't look Evans me! Do you know what you've done? Think of the children, having to look up to an idiot that's more obsessed with his hair than his NEWTS's. How will there be co operation, teamwork? You and me don't get along! We're polar opposites! Water and fire! Chalk and cheese-"

"Evans!" Potter all but shouted.

"What!"

"You can yell at me all you want later, but we really need to go!"

"Why? You can't tell me what to do, you scoundrel…you"

Potter swore.

"What now? Did your nail break? Oh you poor dear, would you like me to kiss it bett-"

He held out his wrist. Or, more specifically, his watch.

It read eleven o'clock.

I looked back up at Potter. I don't think I've ever seen him so frustrated. He took a deep breath, and whispered in a deadly voice.

"The Hogwarts Express has left, Evans. Now, normally, the barrier remains open, but due to security measures because of Death Eaters, they've had to close it after eleven o'clock. I have been trying to tell you for the past two minutes, but you just would not shut up. We're stuck here Evans, for at least a day. Nice one."

I gaped.

My brain crunched the facts.

Me, Potter, a whole lot of hate on my part and sexual tension on his, and absolutely no way of getting out of here.

Great.


	2. Chapter 2

Potter took a deep breath. I decided to do the same. Deep breaths…calming down would help me think.

In, out, in, out…who was I kidding?

There's no way in hell I could calm down. What would we do? Hogwarts had blocked all methods of transportation, so we couldn't Floo, and even if we could, where could we Floo from? No random fireplaces at King's Station. And it wasn't like we could Apparate, Hogwarts had wards around it.

Oh woe was me.

I had absolutely no idea how to get to Hogwarts. So, I did the next most satisfying thing.

"You do realize this is your entire fault." I said conversationally to Potter.

"My fault? This is my fault?" Potter exclaimed incredulously.

"Yeah." I replied calmly.

"Merlin Evans, I was trying to tell you, but no. You so busy yelling at me for absolutely nothing. I got Head Boy. What has the world come to." He said sarcastically.

"Well-"

"No, listen to me Evans. Believe it or not, I have a heart, and my brain does function. Being Head isn't all about loving rules, and kissing McGonagall arse and getting top marks on every subject. There are things more important than high marks and a spotless record."

I blinked. Potter hardly ever stood up for himself, especially in front of me. But you know me, stubborn as hell and just rearing for arguments.

"Of course not, Quidditch is the most important part of life. We should worship the holy game." I said with mock sincerity.

Potter let out a bark of laughter.

"No, things like loyalty and sticking by your friends no matter what. Knowing you'd die for them. That sort of stuff."

"Oh, and you've got those qualities don't you."

"Yeah, I do. I'd die for my mates Evans. Would you?"

My mouth opened, and then snapped shut. The thing was, I probably would die for a friend, especially if I we were as close as Potter and his mates. The slight problem with this pretty picture was thatI didn't really have friends like that. Sure I had plenty of acquaintances, but real, true friends? Nada. Zilch.

To distract myself, I asked Potter,

"How did you get Head Boy anyway?"

He looked straight into my eyes, and I began to understand why so many girls fell in love with his gaze. It was as steady, penetrating, and almost made me want to shiver.

Almost.

"To be honest I have absolutely no idea. Stuff happened…and I guess Dumbledore thought I dealt with well. At least, that's what Remus said."

"What stuff?" I asked, curious.

"Not my secret to tell."

This got me fired up again.

"What, the amazing Potter hiding deep dark secrets full of mystery and pain! Oh the anguish, the horror of it all. Aren't I good enough for you? Is this secret to big to tell little old Evans. What happened? Did you catch the person who stole the cookie from the cookie jar? Were you awarded Galleons and flowers, and sworn to secrecy?"

He looked like he struggling with two very opposing feelings.

"No. I saved Snape's life."

I burst out laughing.

"Huh? As if."

Potter sighed while I processed this information. Surely he was just messing with me. He hated Snape, to the point where I thought Potter would kill Snape. But save his life? Impossible.

"Look, we could stand here arguing for as long as we want, but we won't get anywhere." Potter said wearily, running a hand through his hair, making it stick up more than ever before.

"What do you suggest we do?"

I swear, this guy is all talk and no action.

"I know the way to Leaky Cauldron. We'll go there, owl a letter to Hogwarts. I know Tom, the barman. He'll fix us up with a room…We'll take it from there."

That sounded good. It made perfect sense. We'd send a letter, rest a bit…maybe even go into Diagon Alley. Dumbledore would fix us up with something, and we'd get to Hogwarts before we even realized we weren't there. Apart from the fact I had to spend the whole time with Potter, suddenly things seemed much brighter.

"That's a good idea," I said slowly. But to balance things up, I added," Why didn't you say something before"

Potter smirked.

"Now you're just trying to not get along with me."

I smiled slightly despite myself.

"Merlin, is that a smile I see? Dear lord, what is happening?" Potter exclaimed, slapping a hand to his check.

"Shut up."

Potter just continued smirking.

"After you," he said humbly, bowing deeply. I snorted. Potter, being gentlemanly? Not in my lifetime. I dragged my trolley after me, and I heard the trundling of wheels behind me. The old man with the toothy grin glared at me, and I glared right on back. I smiled contently when he looked away slightly miffed. Never mess with the Lily Evans Glare of Death.

Slowly but surely we emerged out to the crisp London air, the hustle and bustle of the city moving around us. It was then I realized we had to pull two trunks that probably weighed the size of a baby elephant on their own.

"What do you suggest we do about the trunks, seeing as you know everything?" I asked Potter, without turning around. I could here his trolley behind me, so I knew he was there.

I also heard his sigh of withheld frustration.

"Evans, turn around."

I was tempted to say 'Make me', but I could sense he was extremely frustrated. So I settled for something a little less irritating.

"Yes sir."

I turned sharply on my heel, and saluted, but jumped when I saw his face looming inches from my own.

"Listen here Evans. I'm no happier about this situation than you are. I'm at breaking point, I've got a smashing headache, I went to funeral this morning and the depression is killing me. Not to mention I didn't get around to eating breakfast. I'm trying to get us to Hogwarts, but you're whining and trying to be difficult and you're this close to making me do myself in. If you haven't got anything helpful to say, then _shut up_."

He pushed in front of me, knocking me aside as his tawny brown owl cried in indigence. I felt slightly bad. I mean, he was trying to help, but I was really just being annoying. Since when have I been annoying and Potter helpful?

"C'mon Evans. The Leaky Cauldrons not far."

My head snapped up, and I expected to see Potter with a scowl on his face. But he didn't. It was more of a weary look that twisted his mouth. I dragged my trunk a little faster and cought up with him,a nd we made our through the crowds. I had absolutley no idea where we were going, but Potter seemed to know exactly where we were, his easy lope slightly hindered by the school trunk he was dragging. If anyone on the street was wierded out by the fact that there was two teenagers with owls in cages, they certaianly weren't showing it. After about five minutes of weaving and dodging and dragging, we arrived in front of a dark bar that none of the Muggles seemed to notice. The Leaky Cauldron.

I was suddenly washed over by a wave of guilt.

"Look, Potter, I'm-"

"Don't worry about it Evans" he cut me off and gave me a small smile which I returned hestitantly back.

He opens the door with one hand.

"Oh, and my name is James. James Potter" he added. I gave him a look, but then understood what he meant. If we're going to be here for a whole day, we may as well get along.

"Lily Evans."

"Lily Potter. Has a ring to it, doesn't it?"

He noticed my glare, and hastily added,

"Or not."

**I updated. Thanks for the reviews, it's what kept me going. Do you know how much motivation it took me? It's why I avoid long fics. I come up with a great idea, and then lose the spring to finish it off. bah.**

**Anyway, I know in the DH it says James saves Snapes life earlier than sixth year, but just play along, will ya? Im not sure if I'll stay completely canon, but we'll see.**

**Review. Please.**


	3. Chapter 3

Somehow, in less then thirty minutes of entering the Leaky cauldron, I ended up on a barstool slugging a Firewhiskey as part of a dare, with Potter...or James…at my side cheering me on and an old man grinning profusely and shaking his head in bemusement.

I slammed the mug onto the counter and punched the air. Potter looked at me, a look of utmost respect on his face.

"Wait till I tell Sirius…he'll never badger me about fancying…"

I raised an eyebrow as he trailed off.

"What?"

"Nothing."

I shrugged my shoulders. We had entered the pub, to find it dark and absolutely deserted. The barman, Tom, had popped out from the counter like a jack-in-the-box and scared the absolute crap out of me. Potter seemed to know him quite well, and vice versa, so, chuckling slightly at my high pitched squeal, introduced us. He also explained our situation, and took half the blame, saying he should have listened to Sirius and left home earlier. He had said home with a pained look on his face, and I couldn't help but wonder whose funeral he'd gone to. Tom had placed us down as barstools, gave us two mugs, and filled them with a beverage called Wild Hog.

"Have something to drink, then we'll talk 'bout how we can get you kids to school," he had said.

I tasted it, and, being part of a family that loves their beer, asked for a stronger, much to Potter's shock. One thing led to another and suddenly I was slugging a Firewhiskey like there was no tomorrow.

Tom applauded while I caught my breath.

"My my, you'd drink all my regulars under the table!"

I bowed, and thanked the imaginary crowd, only slightly tipsy and tingly. I went to stand up and stretch, but stumbled a bit. Okay, perhaps I was more than slightly tipsy and tingly.

"Whoa, steady their cowboy." Potter grinned. He pulled out his wand, and performed a neat bit of magic, so that I was clearheaded and completely untipsified. If that's a word.

"Thanks."

"Jamie here knows all my sobering charms. He and his mate, Sirius ain't it, are two of my few regulars nowadays." Tom grinned as Potter let out a small laugh that sounded more grim than humorous. But the moment passed, and his face was smiling again.

"How come?" I asked.

Tom's eyes flickered over to James, and a silent conversation seemed to pass between them.

"Let's just say alcohol does wonders when you're trying to forget things." Potter answered quietly, and gave me a tight smile.

"Oh…well…what now?" I asked, noticing his apparent discomfort about this incident that was obviously tormenting him so. Potter gave me a grateful little smile, and clasped his hands together, in a commanding sort of way.

"We'll write a letter to Dumbledore, and send it off with Hoot, my owl. It'll probably take, what, two days to get there and back. Hoot's fast, but Hogwarts is somewhere in Scotland, apparently. Dumbledore might take up to another day to open up his Floo fireplace, what with all the extra wards he must have had to put up. That gives us a maximum of three days to muck around with. We'll have to stick it out here. It's not like we can go anywhere else…the country's swarming with bloody Death Eaters. At least we'll be safe in Diagon Alley. Have you got a room for us Tom?"

I blinked at the speed at which this guy planned. Either, he had already thought this all out, or he had one fast brain. Tom just nodded, apparently accustomed to the speed that Potter spoke.

"Course I do. No one comes here anymore. Reckon it's unsafe, with You-Know-Who runnin' about all over the place. You 'n' your girl would want to share a room wouldn't you?"

I shouted him down.

"I'm not his girlfriend. Na ah. No way."

To my chagrin, Potter looked faintly amused, neither pleased nor embarrassed like I was (embarrassed, I mean) by the assumption. Indifferent, really.

"I think Lily here would want a room of her own, if you don't mind, Tom."

Tom winked at James and succeeded in deepening my blush as he waved his wand and magicked our trunks so that they disappeared through a doorway and up stairs to what I imagined would be our rooms for the next three days. He placed pen and paper (parchment and quill, rather), in front of James so that he could write to Dumbledore.

I let him do the writing as I noticed his writing was a thousand times more legible and graceful than mine. I sat back in my stool to contemplate my day, but not so much that I fell off. Everything comes with experience. The last time I had leaned back in my stool, I had fallen flat on my bum, broken an arm and gotten a pounding headache. I wasn't able to fight the phobia of barstools for weeks.

Anyway, back to contemplating. I was still slightly bewildered by how fast everything was moving. One second I was saying a rushed goodbye to my family, the next I was in the Leaky Cauldron with no one but James Potter and a barman to keep me company for the next three days. I reflected, and decided that it could've been indefinitely worse, for example, had James not been with me, I would've had no idea what to do, and most likely would've completely freaked and died of hyperventilation. And, I realized, with numb shock, I kind of enjoyed his company. Despite his lapses of grimness, he managed to be cheerful and calm and I had caught myself smiling at his jokes throughout our alcohol consumption. And I highly doubted the ease I felt around him had anything to do with the influential substances that had been flowing through my bloodstream.

I also felt slightly more ashamed of my reactions to him when I had seen Potter on the Platform, at the way I had blew up at him, and how I had been uncooperative and snide afterwards. He had improved, all throughout the previous year, and, I recalled, suddenly matured over Halloween. His teasing was much friendlier; his smirks less frequent and his proclamations of undying love for me took place in private. He paid attention in all his classes, even Transfiguration which he could've passed with his eyes shut. He had matured, I decided grudgingly; his speech at the Platform about friendship showed that more than anything. I felt myself softening slightly, and somehow I felt that I might even enjoy spending time with him.

Might. Notice the might. I'm stressing the might.

After we sent Hoot, James' owl, on his merry way, I realized that throughout my whole contemplation and recognition of James Potter's maturity, I had had called him James not Potter.

And that shook me more than anything.

**A/N I'm uber sorry this took so long to update. I had a bit of trouble with this chapter (as you can tell with its tiny length). Again, I apologize, but I decided to post it anyway. Thanks to all the great reviews, I was mighty pleased with feedback I got ( I didn't really think i deserved it, to be honest).**

**Another thing, don't expect this to have jaw dropping theatrics or nail biting cliff hangers and a plot so thick it'll make the Da Vinci Code look like a nusery rhyme. I'll keep this simple, and probably short, around ten chapters.**

**Review, tell me, nicely of course, what I can do better, and pray that by some miracle George Bush and John Howard fall off the face of the earth.**

**random smilie**


	4. Chapter 4

I collapsed onto the bed, (I was the sole occupant of Room 13) and grinned when it bounced slightly. I love bouncy beds. When me and Petunia were little (and when she wasn't a complete git), we used to join our beds together and jump and jump till our tiny legs ached and didn't support us. I sat up on my elbows, and gazed around at the room which would be a kind of home for the next couple of days.

The room was fairly bare. There was a cupboard door against one wall, a fireplace, a mirror in one corner, and a door leading to what I imagined to be the bathroom. My trunk was on a rug on the floor, and my owl, Elvis (can you blame a twelve year old?), was perched in his cage which was sitting on a redwood table. A window was open, letting a faint breeze in which ruffled the floral curtains slightly. I nodded once to myself. Despite the obvious lack of taste in matching décor, the furnisher of the room had made an effort to make it homely, which I hadn't really expected of an inn.

Yes, it would do.

There was a knock on the door, and I shot up, straightening my twisted sweater and rumpled hair as I looked into the mirror, which gave a vague noise of disgust at my appearance.

"Come in!" I called behind my back to the door. I turned around when no one entered, and called louder

"I _said_, come in!"

"It's locked."

Oh. I strode to the door, slightly peeved that I wasn't able to turn and face the intruder of my private time from the window, a calm and graceful look on my face just like the pretty girls did in the movies. I flung the door open to reveal a smiling James Potter, who spoke as straight as he saw me.

"So, what do you think of the room? I figured they would be fairly empty, most people stay home nowadays," was the first thing he said to me.

I grinned a little.

"It's actually pretty good. I must say, Potter, you're ideas are fabulous."

I almost hit myself over the head. Nice job Lily. Now his absentee ego would come back full force and you'll have to deal with a smirking James Potter hitting on you non stop.

But I was pleasantly surprised, and instead of the arrogant comment that I had been expecting, James said,

"Uh…thanks I guess. It wasn't much really."

This was accompanied by a shrug and an averted gaze. Modesty! Then he grinned suddenly.

"Well, what do you want to do?" 

"What do you mean?"

"Well, we're stuck here, and it's not like sitting here twiddling our thumbs will be too fun."

I frowned. Forward thinking wasn't really my area of skill. I live for the moment, and think accordingly. Planning et cetera hurts my brain sometimes. I mean, look at the whole day. I've done nothing but follow James around. It's kind of weird, because I love being in control, and today I've been following around my previously sworn enemy. Perhaps it's because he's knows what he's doing and where he can go, being from a magical background and all, but still. It's kind of weird how easily I'd started to take in everything he said. Almost if I respected his opinion.

I had never respected James Potter's opinion before this. Merlin, all these revelations and changes were doing my head. Finding out James Potter may actually not be the bane of my existence, placed on earth to bite me in the butt for sins committed in my previous life was something that needed to be taken in slow doses over, say, a lifetime, not a couple of hours. A clearing of a throat brought me back to the present, and I blinked before I replied,

"I hadn't really thought about it. What do you suggest we do?"

I just asked James Potter for his opinion.

Merlin.

"We could go into Diagon Alley…do you need anything?"

I shook my head. I had got all my supplies with Marlene McKinnon on the holidays. She was alright, a fellow Gryffindor like me, but a bit overly cheerful. I used to be friends with her, but not as much anymore. She made friends with other people, and I made it pretty clear I just wanted to be acquaintances that traveled places together because they lived near each other. I was like that to most people, actually, because I usually enjoyed keeping to myself.

"Well then, Diagon Alley might be fun anyway. There's a lot of stores that you wouldn't have visited if you've just been to Diagon Alley to buy school stuff. I'll take you on a grand tour of all the best places"

I shrugged easily.

"I guess there's nothing else we can really do. Lead the way."

He grinned.

"Do you want to look my arse, Lily?"

"You do realize these boots hurt when aimed in a certain direction?"

"Point taken."

"""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""""'

"Damn."

James swiped his mouth with the back of his hand and grinned when I rolled my eyes in sheer delight.

"I'll take it you like Florean Fortescue's ice creams?"

"Shrishirshouf"

"Pardon?"

I swallowed the mound Charming Caramel Cream melting in my mouth, and said with a much clearer voice,

"This is delicious."

James smiled as he finished his ice cream. A Lemon something or rather.

"So, you're saying you've never had one of these before? I've gone through every flavour roughly ten times. But Sirius holds the record. Twenty times through and counting. Once, he ate so much, he missed dinner."

"_Sirius Black_ missed dinner? That's impossible!" I laughed. The only thing that defined Sirius Black more than his good looks and bad boy attitude was his insatiable hunger. An appetite of a dragon. It's actually kind of fascinating watching him wolf down food, and borderline disgusting. A comfortable silence wrapped around us, almost as if I hadn't hated him for a good part of my life. I finished up my ice cream, satisfied and lazy as I sat back in my chair.

"Say, Lily, how do you usually come into Diagon Alley? Your parents are Muggles, right?"

I nodded; I was not at all surprised by the fact that he knew my upbringing. In fact, I wouldn't be surprised if James Potter wrote a biography on my life, with not one fact omitted. The guy probably knew the song I sung in the shower. Not that I sing in the shower, of course. Anyway, James Potter had adopted stalker like tendencies in Fifth Year, and when that had failed to make me fall at his feet, brought it about himself to attempt to be charming and suave, reciting mutated Shakespeare from the bottom of the girl's dormitory stairs. Needless to say, he failed miserably in wooing me, but had the whole Gryffindor Common Room in hysterics at his antics instead.

"I normally come with Marlene McKinnon. You know, brown hair, brown eyes, a giggle that can bring a drunken Fat Lady to shame?"

He chuckled. Merlin James Potter chuckled heaps.

"Course I do Lily. The girl's practically my sister. I've known her since I was, what, three years old."

My eyebrows shot up. Marlene had never mentioned she and James had been friends for that long. But when I thought about it, they were really friendly, like siblings that get along, and the rest of the Marauders adored the younger girl. Actually, a lot of people did adore Marlene McKinnon. She had a really sweet face, and a really sweet nature, too. People were drawn to Marlene because of her kindness, like people were drawn to James Potter's humour. Perhaps I'm just picky, but Marlene is just a tad too chipper for me.

"I take it you didn't know that? The girl knows almost as much as the Marauders do about me. Marlene thinks the world of you, Lily.. In fact, and I'm not sure if you remember, she introduced you to me. She said, I know this wonderful girl, James. Her name's Lily Evans and she'll be at the top of the class soon, even though she's Muggle, and she's never done magic before."

My eyebrows risked losing themselves in my hairline.

"She said that about me in first year? But I was just getting to know her!"

James gave a wry smile.

"You were awfully nice in first year, Lily. It was glaringly obvious. But…"

He trailed off, and I could practically hear the rest of the sentence…_you changed. _

He continued softly,

"What happened to you? You were so kind to everyone that year. Even to me and Sirius despite the fact we annoyed you till you almost screamed. You came back, you stopped hanging out with Marlene…you were so different."

I swallowed, wondering how the conversation had tipped from being so friendly and carefree, to so intense.

Then James said quickly,

"Sorry, I shouldn't be prying. It's absolutely none of my business."

I have no idea what happened to me then, but all of a sudden it all poured out of my mouth. Stuff I hadn't told anyone, not even Marlene who I was good friends with at the end of first year, I was telling James Potter.

I told him what went wrong in the summer of my first year. How I had gone home that summer, full to the brim in excitement of what I had learnt, what I had seen. I wanted nothing more than to share all my experiences with my family so that they could revel in the wonder of them too. How I had taken one took one look at my family which was missing a third member and was drained of happiness immediately. Petunia's scathing comments had left me hurt and bewildered, and I had come back to Hogwarts the next year a thousand times more bitter than what should've been allowed for a twelve year old. I know it was a pathetic excuse for being as cold as I was that year, but it was like I was blaming the wizarding world for my falling out with my sister, because I had been so close to my sister, and surely it wasn't my fault for her hating me. How when I had accidentally knocked into Malfoy on the train, an idiot in the year above me that didn't even know anything about me except for my heritage called me 'bloody Mudblood filth'. God, it was like I was a freak in both worlds. How I had gotten over it by throwing myself into my studies and distancing myself from people.

James was quiet afterwards.

"That's horrible Lily. I had no idea."

"It was. It really was. I mean, there's worse stuff that's happened; we all know about the horrible things Black's relatives say to him, but I was really close to my sister. And it hurt a lot knowing that she didn't love me."

James grabbed my hand roughly, gently, earnestly.

"She loves you Lily. One day, she'll regret whatever she said to you and come back crawling on her knees."

I sighed.

"See, that's the thing, I don't want her to beg me for forgiveness. I'd forgive her in a blink of the eye. She's my sister, and no matter what she's done to me, I still care for her. I just want to go back to how it was before, and I want an apology and I want remorse. That's all."

James had taken to rubbing my hand soothingly, and somewhere in the back of my mind I registered that it felt kind of nice. This was beginning to freak me out. How did I go from passionately hating him to…not? I'm fairly sure I didn't hate him, judging by the smile I could feel on my face, and the ease I felt in his company. And he made me feel so much better, really. James had been such a great listener, and he hadn't even interrupted me once. I opened my mouth, testing the words in my head, and when spoke I them, it felt foreign to my lips, but not awkward.

"Thanks…James."

I ducked my head now slightly uncomfortable under his shocked gaze. Of course he would be shocked! I called him James for the first time, and thanked him in the same sentence. I withdrew my hand from his, and tucked a loose strand of hair behind my ear.

"You're welcome, Lily."

I raised my head to see James smiling at me, albeit looking slightly bewildered. I offered a small smile of my own. Now he spoke, just like I did. Slightly hesitant and slightly wary.

"Does this mean we're friends?"

My eyes snapped to his. Is that why I no longer hated him? Had we really become friends in less than twelve hours? Did chugging Firewhiskey, eating ice cream, pouring out life stories account to friendship? Did trusting opinions, listening to ideas, learning about each other account to friendship?"

"I guess so."

His jubilant face made me grin too. Maybe being friends with James Potter was something I should've done before he declared his undying love for me in fourth year. Then he cried out,

"Hey! I got a great idea! We should be friends…with benefits!"

"Hey! That's a great idea!"

He almost fell out of his seat. He whispered in utmost astonishment.

"_Really_?"

"No."

And we burst out laughing after he got out of his chair feigning devastation and slipped on a bit of dropped ice cream and fell flat on his butt.

Because, essentially, that's what friends do.

**A/N I'm actually really happy with this. It's my longest piece of writing. I didn't really like Lily in the previous chapters, to be honest; she seemed like a bit of a bitch. I hope I portrayed her a bit better in this chapter. I'm going away on holiday for four weeks in a couple of days, so unfortunately I won't be updating any time soon. Sorry I took so long to do this one, but I hope the wait was worth it.**

**random smilie**


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